Rising Hogwarts-like from the urban jumble, this Fener landmark, known locally as kırmızı kale (the red castle) for its castellated red-brick facade, still functions as a Greek school. A small student body of some 50 pupils studies here. Built in the early 1880s, it was designed by Ottoman Greek architect Konstantinos Dimadis, who is known for his European chateaux. The institution within predates the Ottoman arrival in Constantinople, making it Turkey's oldest educational body.
For more information on the college and the area's many intriguing piles, pick up a copy of tour guide Ahmet Faik Ozbilge's fascinating historical tome, Nooks and Crannies of Old Istanbul: Fener, Balat, Ayvansaray.
